‘Heard Deafening Noise, Went Numb’: Rameshwaram Café Blast Victim Recounts Horror after Discharge | Exclusive

Deepanshu, an IT employee in Bengaluru, still can’t believe his luck. Having gone to the Rameshwaram Café to collect his forgotten bag, he stood just four metres from the spot when the IED went off on Friday. Numb, he rushed outside and was taken to a hospital by locals, only to be the first among the injured to be discharged on Saturday.

“I don’t go to this café often, hardly once a month. On the day of the blast, I went there with my friends for lunch, but left my bag behind. As I went to collect it, I just heard a loud sound and in seconds, couldn’t hear a thing. I just went numb and was in a daze. Somehow, I rushed outside for help and people around immediately took me to the hospital for treatment. I can never forget the moment," said Deepanshu.

Deepanshu, who was discharged from the Brookefield Hospital, recalled: “I was barely four meters from the spot. People were screaming, but I was just not able to register what had happened."

Deepanshu doesn’t have any physical injuries for now, and the doctor has assured him that his hearing challenges will be resolved soon.

Friday’s blast left 10 people injured. Of them, three were shifted to Brookefield Hospital, and the rest to different hospitals.

Speaking about the other two victims, café staff Farooq Hussain and IT employee Swarnambha, who is in the ICU, Dr Pradeep, Medical Director of Brookefield Hospital, Whitefield, said, “Deepanshu is going back home happily. The remaining two victims are on the road to recovery. We don’t have to worry much as they are also out of danger. The female victim is in the ICU and she will take some time to recover due to the injuries. The café staff is also recovering. They will be visiting us back once a week first, then once in 15 days and later after a month, as per the standard protocol."

“As it was a low-intensity blast, we found glass shards and other material pierced in their bodies. They are out of danger now," he said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah met the victims at the hospital and said the government will take care of the expenditure.